I was channeling John Goodman from The Big Lebowski with a touch of Wonkette. And Goodman was in RA. So, close enough.
Oh ? Cite your sources, please. Many are subject to fallacy. Are you immune ?
I happen to like every dog I ever met. It’s people I have suspicions about. Michelle Bachman, the crazy Senator from Wisconsin ? And her husband is a doctor ? How underwhelming.
Here’s a shocker, my pale-faced friends: We humans are ALL Africans. That is where this species originated. Don’t choke on your crumpets.
Allow me to relate my very first encounter with the ‘Justice’ system; I bought my first car when I turned 16. After paying the man and receiving the title and bill of sale, I drove home with my 1953 Buick. It was Christmas eve and I was pulled-over by a local cop just as I arrived home. I explained I had just bought the car and showed him the proof, mentioning that one has the legal right to purchase a vehicle and drive it home sans plates. I pointed-out the address of seller was in a direct line with my home, both of us residing on south 25th Ave. He wrote me a ticket, anyway. I thought “No problem, I’ll just explain this to the judge, which I did in court. I said " It is my understanding that the law allows me to buy a vehicle and legally drive it home unregistered and unplated”. He considered this a moment, moved-around some papers on his desk, and banged the gavel, saying “1 dollar plus costs”. Hmm…well, not so bad, I thought until I found the “costs”( which include a portion applied to something noted on the reciept as J.R.F., later explained to me as Judges Retirement Fund), amounted to 26 bucks. So, to summerize, I was found not to have broken any law and it cost me 26 dollars to be “exhonorated”. That was my first exposure to jurisprudence. It got weirder with each bullshit charge ever brought against me. I have a rather long record of misdemeanors. In nearly every case, I was wrongly charged and usually screwed. I’m happy for those who have been accorded respect by lawmen and the justice system. But you are the exceptions, my friends; not the rule. This is and was a trivial matter. I have many experiences far more revealing as to the innate corruption of police and the courts. I’ll save one of those for another time. Go ahead with your “Harrumphs”, now, if it pleases you.
Your turn.
Believe whatever you want. I used to think “street smarts” was merely a confession to the lack of “book smarts”. I found -out it’s not. How ? I possess both and guys like you don’t.
I’ve yet to find a single post of yours to verify this claim.
Interresting. Explain how this phenomenon cannot apply to you ? Oh, your degrees confirm your superior insights. The highly educated are only slightly less vulnerable to bs than the rest of us. I’m as informed about human behavior as you seem to wish yourself as being. Some from the study of Psychology in classroom, some from real-life observation. Your accademic cred is as suspect as my real-life cred. But I have plenty of both. You ?
Actually, if you did not break any law you wouldn’t have been required to pay anything.
So, just to be clear common good, we will not be seeing any citations from you, correct?
So then, nothing is wrong with the law, the lawmen, or the administration of justice in the land of milk and honey ? Is that what i’m being told ? Perhaps I’m dreaming all that shit. That would help me understand why it only "seems’ to be a legitimate issue. Still, I’m pretty sure I am awake and aware. Not so sure about some of you.
I am not sure if any of the readers here are from Buffalo or WNY, but overall police treatment here has been bad for a long time. Police brutality while working ‘off duty’ at bars, blatant disregard for probable cause for vehicle searches and on the street pat downs.
Some recent articles:
http://buffalonews.com/city-region/lockport/lockport-settles-police-brutality-suit-20140630
I have always been on the right side of the law, but that hasnt softened my police encounters over the years. They always have a harsh/accusatory tone. Handcuffs first, questions later (after violating various civil rights).
The worst experience I had was when I was about 26. I had just moved back to Buffalo after living in FL for 3 or so years. I am white and my ex-wife is black and has lupus. She also has the associated lupus scars/skin aggitation that goes with it. Generally in the nose/mouth area. To an outside observer, she might look like a black crackhead with the scars being burn marks from the pipe.
We were driving home from somewhere on the westside to our home on the westside (maybe 10 blocks) around midnight. Cop car drives past us in the opposite lane, then turns around and pulls us over.
First thing that is said to us is ‘get out of the car’ with the officers opening the doors. They handcuff my ex-wife (wife at the time) and begin to handcuff me. I try to turn slightly to ask why we were being put into cuffs and that got me slammed on the hood of my car and then handcuffed.
They immediately seperated us and called for 2 more cars. I was searched and our car was searched. We were interrogated (questioned i suposed technically) about who we were and how we knew each other.
From the questions, I realize they think my wife is a crack head prositute and I am her ‘Jon’. I recall something about her wearing an oversized army coat (mine) helping this perception (being a crack head I guess means you wear clothes/coats that dont fit).
Now, as I said, we were legally married. We both had ID…thus the same last name. So, this is clear things up, right? Nope.
At this point, the cops knew they fucked up. So as a last ditch effort, instead of letting us go, they waited for the female cop to arrive to pat down/search my ex-wife. Basically, they were hoping she had something…anything…so they could justify this event.
My ex-wife and I were stunned, caught off guard. I dont even think up till this point we were really pissed yet due to the shock. However, I was now getting pissed as I had deduced what was happening. I made a couple of accusatory remarks that resulted in my being grabbed by my shirt collar (while in the back of their patrol car) told 'shut the f up) and tossed back.
After the female officer searched my wife, the original two officers sent the additional cars/cops away. They then had a nice little chat with us:
Cop: ‘we pulled you over because you were going slow and seemed suspicous’
Me: ‘are you sure thats why you pulled us over?’
Cop: ‘dont forget, we have your address from your licenses. Go home.’
Basically, they fucked up, assaulted my wife and us, violated our civil rights and then threatened us.
I originally posed just to share the cites from Buffalo, NY that relate to the OP, but I dont often tell this story and felt it applied (at least from a one off perspective) to the topic at hand.
And before I am asked, no, we didnt pursue charges on the cops. From what I heard via grapevine, that would have been a very bad decision. I regret that decision. These days, I still approach each police interaction neutrally until proven otherwise, but I have no qualms about explaining my rights. However, I wonder if I havent had a repeat of that event since my current girlfriend is an irish lass.
No, you will. Do traffic ones qualify ?
Thanks, Hyden. That’s pretty horific. I believe every word. I hope others will grant you that respect. Don’t expect it, though, given my experience with these enlightened members.
I’ve got your enlightened member right here, pal.
Actually, you are completely wrong. That is exactly what happened. Where do you live, Fantasyland ? What IS it with some of you guys ?
Oh, that’s a pretty good one. Street-guy, huh ? Sure.
Maybe you’re holding the telescope backwards. Or some similar common error.
Some members are seriously deficient in egalitarian or social conscience and haven’t the decency to at least pretend to care about the unfortunates of this, or any other, society. Do we live in a just society, I ask ? I’m told I make unsubstantiated claims that we do not. Also, that my personal experiences are of virtually no import. This is considered an enlightened body of deep thinkers. I am impressed by the scientific knowledge displayed by many, here. And equally amazed that such an august gathering of minds can, and generally is, nearly oblivious to the socio/political realities the upper classes attempt to dismiss as simply whining or sour grapes being vented by a member of the unwashed masses. Social Justice is not trivial, as so many seem to feel, and social injustice is very real to a great many people. Be glad you aren’t one of us but don’t try telling me social, economic, and political injustice is not real. Human compassion is a mark of civilization, of intelligence itself. Many, here, are ignorant or uncaring, or both. The Grapes of Wrath is assigned reading. Read it, again, in your hot-tub, perhaps, or while waiting for Mercedes to be waxed, or whatever else the self-important do with their time. But read it.